Improvement in spade-bayonets and bayonet-fastenings



F. CHILUNGWORTH & l. MERRILL.

Improvement in Spade Bayonetls.

No. 125,720. Patefed Apru16,1872. 5

In l

lllllllll lll/lI l l I mi UNITED STATES PATENT @Erren- FELIX CHILLINGW'ORTH AND IRA MERRILL, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHU- SETTS, SAID MERRILL ASSIGNOR TO SAID CHILLINGWORTH.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPADE-BAVONETS AND BAVONET-FASTENlNGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,720, dated April 16, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that We, FELIX CHILLING- ,WORTH and IEA MERRILL, both of Springtield,

,in the county of Hampden and State ofMassapart of this specification, and to the letters of Y reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a side vieur of a bayonet-shank made according to one modication of our iuvention. Fig. 2. is another view of the same. Fig. 3 is another side view of the saine with the sleeve attached. Fig. 4 is an end View of the same. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the sleeve through line I. Fig. 6 is an end view xof -another modification of our invention. Fig. 7 is a side view of the same. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the sleeve through line H, and Fiig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the sleeve through line N of Fig. 8.

The object of our invention is to make the bayonet-shank of regular form, free from anguiar png ections, for the purpose of providing a snioothy handle for the spade-bayonet, so as to obviate the cutting of the hand of the operator or soldier when the same is detached and used for digging, and at the same time to improve the means of securing the bayonet to the gun.

That others skilled in the artmay be able to make and use our invention, We Will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawing, Arepresents the shank, and E the blade of a troWel-bayonet, upon the end of which shank is made the arm b, having the sight-slot a made therein, extending into the shank sufficiently to receive the sight of the gun; and a sleeve, B, having a longitudinal groove, a', therein-Which I denominate the sight-grooVe-is made to t said arm properly. A hole is made in the shank, which is made sufficiently thick for that purpose, and a pin, c, is inserted therein, with a spring behind it, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 4, so that the end of the pinvniay project a little from the shank, as shown in same gures; and a projection, h, is made upon the arm, which projection should not be placed upon the sleeve meets the end of the arm, so that the l part ofthe sleeve having the smallest inside diameter forms a continuation of the inside of the arm, both being of the same inside diameter. A groove, a, is formed on the inside of the sleeve, at right angles to the sight-groove a', of suflicient size to allow the projection or stud h to move therein; and the groove n is of such length (extending from thesight-groove) as to allow the sleeve to be turned Aupon the arm until the sight-groove a and the frictionpin c coincide, and also in the other direction until the sight-groove a and sight-slot c in the arm coincide. sight-groove is beveled or rounded oli' upon one side, as shown at i, and the other side of the same is straight, as shown in Fig. 5; and the outer end of the friction-pin is rounded, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 7. This construction ofthe end oi' the sight-groove and the end of the pin allows the sleeve to be turned upon the arm in attaching the bayonet to and detaching it from the gun; for when the sleeve is in its place upon the arm, with the end of the friction-pin e projecting slightly into the groove a', if the sleeve is forcibly turned upon the arm bin a direction to brin gthe sight-groove a directly overthe si ght-slot c, the bevel i rides over the rounded end of the pin e, and pushes the pin back into its socket. rIhe pin remains in this position until the sleeve is turned back again, and, when the sight-groove a is brought again into line With the friction-pin e, said pin is pushed into the groove by the spring behind it, and, as the straight side of the sight-groove strikes the pin, the sleeve is prevented from turning any further. the sleeve from the arm, it is only necessary to insert a strong Wire into the sight-groove in the sleeve, and press back the friction-pin, at the same time turning the sleeve so that the sight-groove a shall be in line with the projection or stud h, when it may be easily Withdrawn from the arm.

The eXtreme inner 'end of the 1f it is desired to detachl l A modifi cation of the same invention is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, in which, instead of the groove 'a being made in the sleeve, the groove c is made in the arm b, and a small screw, d, is inserted into a threaded hole in the sleeve. The screw being turned out, the sleeve B is placed. upon the arm b, and the screw d is turned into the threaded hole until the inner end protrudes into the groove c, and

f the sleeve is then turned to and fro upon the arm in securing the bayonet upon and detaching it from the gun. The groove c is made of the proper length to permit the sleeve to turn to the proper positions in attaching, it to and detaching it from the gun. We prefer, however, the first-described modification as being the best in practice.

The neck which connects the blade E to the shank is made concave upon the outside-,as shown at f, to give suitable bearing for the forenger when pressing the bayonet, as a spade, into the ground, thereby preventing the hand from slipping over the neck j' and being cut by the blade, and so that the soldier, in lying upon the ground and tiring from behind his intrenchments, may use it as a rest to re from, by sticking the blade in Ithe ground and placing the band of his gun in the concave part f, and thus keep the gun clean from the dirt; and in using a breech-loading gun he would not be obliged to remove his gun from the rest after every discharge ofthe piece.

` The friction-pin might have an elongated part of smaller diameter extending through the shank to the front part of the neck, the shank having a hole for that purpose, and a small kn ob on the eXtreme end of the elongated part, so that in case dirt should get into the socket ofthe friction-pin and cause the pin to stick, a slight pressure upon the knob would force the pin out again into its place. This'attae'hm ent is equally applicable to the ordinary bay,- onet and to the trowel-bayonet, with perhaps some little variation in the length ofthe shank, if necessary, to accommodate the construction of the bayonet. l

The friction-pin e may be corrugated, and the sleeve may also be corrugated upon the inside, to prevent the surfaces from rusting together, and also to prevent their sticking from dirt getting in. y

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The sleeve or socket B, when combined for operation with the arm b, and made ofthe same external form as the shank A, whereby an improved fastening as Well as symmetrical handle is provided for a spade-bayonet, substantially as specified. y

2. The combination, with the socket A, provided with slot a, of the sleeve B, provided with a groove, a', whereby the socket may be adjusted and secured upon the barrel of a gun,

as specied.

3. In a bayonetshank, I claim the combination ofthe stud h, the groove a and a, and a spring-catch, whereby the sleeve is coupled with the shank, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with a spade-bayonet, I claim the neck or shank thereof, when provided with the concave bearing f, whereby a convenient gun-rest as well as hand-guard is provided, substantially as specified. A

F. GHILLINGWORTH. IRA MERRILL.

Witnesses:

T. A. CURTIS, CLARENCE BUcKLANn. 

